Man successfully sues ex-wife over Facebook post claiming domestic violence
A man in Western Australia has been awarded $12,500 (£6,533) in damages after successfully suing his estranged wife over a post which appeared on her public Facebook profile claiming she was the victim of domestic violence.
The post from Robyn Greeuw, which was published in December 2012, named her former husband Miro Dabrowski.
It read: “Separated from Miro Dabrowski after 18 years of suffering domestic violence and abuse. Now fighting the system to keep my children safe.”
The post was then removed in February 2013 after Greeuw received a letter from Dabrowski’s lawyers.
In court, Greewu admitted that she had written parts of the post but said she hadn’t published it. She argued that her computer had been hacked to create the screenshot of the post that was used in the trial.
Justice Michael Bowden said this account was “implausible” and that it undermined her credibility.
“Domestic violence and abuse by its very nature usually occur in the matrimonial home and in the absence of independent witnesses. I accept that defamation findings can be made solely on the evidence of one partner against the other,” Bowden said.
“However, Ms Greeuw’s credibility is so badly affected by the matters to which I have referred that it leads to the conclusion that she is prepared to say or write whatever she thinks will suit her case and I would not be prepared to accept her evidence unless it is supported by independent evidence or documents contemporaneously made with the events she now complains of.”
Dabrowski, a teacher, expressed concern that it the post would affect his teaching career.
Bowden said Dabrowski was “an experienced educator and is entitled to public vindication”.